Illegal plot allocation: Hasina, Rehana, her children sued
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday filed three separate cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and her daughters Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, and Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, also a British lawmaker.
The accused have been charged with abuse of power to influence high-ranking officials at the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to secure plots in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27, Road 203, in the Purbachal New Town Project. The allocation includes three 10-katha plots.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The cases were filed at the ACC's Integrated District Office in Dhaka, ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain told journalists.
Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina have been named as the prime accused in the cases, while Hasina and Tulip are listed as co-accused. Each case names an additional 12 to 13 individuals, including officials from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and Rajuk.
Speaking to reporters, ACC DG Akhtar said British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq influenced Sheikh Hasina to secure the Purbachal plots, adding that the ACC has gathered sufficient evidence to support the allegations.
The complainant in Rehana's case is ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin. Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan is the complainant in Bobby's case, while Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya lodged the case against Azmina.
In Rehana's case, the accused include Hasina, Tulip, and 15 others, including officials from the housing ministry and Rajuk.
Similarly, in the case against Bobby, the accused include Hasina, Tulip, and 16 others. In the case against Azmina, the accused include Tulip, Hasina, and 16 others.
Earlier, on Sunday, the ACC filed another case against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, the secretary of the housing ministry, and 16 others for allegedly abusing power to secure six 10-katha plots in Purbachal.
This is the fourth probe initiated by the ACC against Hasina following her removal from office on August 5.
On December 22, 2024, the commission began investigating Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy over allegations of laundering $300 million to the United States.
On December 17, 2024, the ACC launched a probe into two complaints of embezzlement amounting to Tk 80,000 crore involving Hasina and her family in nine major projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
OPPOSITION WANT TULIP FIRED
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced fresh pressure yesterday to sack Tulip Siddiq, his anti-corruption minister, amid claims that she lived in properties linked to her aunt Hasina and the Awami League party she led, reports AFP.
Tulip has insisted that she has done nothing wrong.
Earlier this month, Tulip referred herself to Starmer's standards adviser.
Asked yesterday whether Tulip's position in the UK government remained tenable, senior British minister Pat McFadden told Sky News she had "done the right thing" with the self-referral.
He insisted the standards adviser had the powers to "carry out investigations into allegations like this".
"That is what he is doing, and that is the right way to deal with this," McFadden said.
But UK opposition politicians want Siddiq fired.
"I think it's untenable for her to carry out her role," the Conservatives' finance spokesman Mel Stride told Times Radio on Sunday.
"It's inappropriate for Tulip to be in the position that she holds at the moment. She is the anti-corruption minister in government."
Comments